In this article from the Minneapolis StarTribune.com, the author discusses the growing demand for salespeople in the medical industry. One quote in particular jumps out:
Medical salespeople often tell me it is rewarding to sell things that help people.
I bring this topic up because it is of interest in that we have measured this reward in the medical and health insurance industries. There is a statistical significance among these salespeople to be rewarded by a higher Sense of Mission (purpose).
The article continues:
Medical salespeople are experienced, persistent and smart, do their homework and have an understanding of the audience they are selling to.
I would agree with all these statements, depending on the position, except the experience statement. Hiring based solely on experience is a slippery slope. If experience was the single most common trait of a successful salesperson, companies would adjust their hiring approach to land the oldest, most experienced salespeople from their industry.
So why isn’t this the most common approach? Because the chances of this approach being reliably predictable for hiring sales superstars is only slightly better than winning the PowerBall. Hyperbole perhaps, but you get my point.
We always state hire first on sales ability (skills, aptitudes, motivations, rewards, style) before experience. If you properly profile your sale, you can find salespeople who have been successful selling in a similar sales cycle/process. At that point, you can teach them your “STUFF.” The technical information about your product or service can be learned. Remember, at some point every member of the team had to learn about your stuff. A good salesperson can do the same. It is far more difficult to teach a person how to sell your wares than it is to teach them the technical aspects of it.